New Chapel Bridges Campus and Community

Over three years ago, before a single brick was laid, Regent founder, chancellor and CEO, Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson, spoke these words of vision: “Regent Chapel will be known as a place where the presence of God is felt and lives are changed—a place to practice the presence of God.” That long-awaited vision has come to pass, and a beautiful chapel now stands in the center of campus, representing the spirit and purpose of the university.

Since opening in March 2013, the chapel has become the spiritual heart of campus. Hosting numerous university and community-wide events, as well as offering a 24-hour prayer room, it has quickly become the catalyst that has drawn the Regent campus, the Christian Broadcasting Network and the community closer together and closer to God.

A monthly signature event series called Regent N.O.W. (Night of Worship) has received a great response from both the students and community. N.O.W. guest artist Cory Asbury, former member of the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, Mo., and current worship leader for New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Co., reflected on the series, saying, “The beautiful thing about [gathering in the context of worship] is your hearts can really knit together when you’re worshiping together.”

Ann Leblanc, vice president for advancement, explains, “We wanted to give an opportunity for students and young people in the local community to have a place to gather and worship without denominational lines or church divisions.”

In addition to the growing N.O.W. events, the chapel is home to weekly University Chapels and unChapels, as well as monthly College of Arts & Sciences assemblies and various CBN chapel services such as the Rosh Hashanah special event. It has been used for spiritual retreats for several of the schools, and is home to powerful conferences and services hosted by the Office of Church Relations and the International Center for Worship (ICW).

Extending the Regent campus to the community is an important component of the Regent Chapel, with several weddings already being performed there, in cooperation with The Founders Inn and Spa. Regent hopes to host area high school graduation ceremonies and other concert and worship events in the future.

“The impact that Regent has made on countless lives has only been amplified since the opening of the new chapel building,” says Rich Jemiola, Regent’s director of facilities and engineering. “And it will continue to be a place where God’s presence is felt and lives are changed.”